Thicker Than Water
by carinims01
Summary: Sequel to RM. It's been months since everyone got their memories back, and Merlin's never been happier. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to last. With the return of a friend and the return of a foe, Merlin and Arthur's life is once more turned upside down. And this time, Merlin is only mortal. Rated T. No slash.
1. Prologue

Hey, guys! It's been a while. I hope you're all doing well! I'm proud to finally bring you the sequel to "Remember Me." Updates will be infrequent, but thankfully, I have most of it written already. It's been a long time in the planning, it's just taken a while to get it down on paper. I hope you like the first chapter!

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

A half crescent moon cast its pale moonlight upon the small parking lot of the local library in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. A small breeze gently tugged at the colorful leaves of the tall oak trees and the crickets sang their soft chours. The song was interrupted, however, as the solid glass door of said library was violently pushed open in the professor's untamable excitement. The ebony bag he carried, much like a medical case, bounced as he hurried much faster than expected from an elderly professor.

"Will you slow down?" a woman's voice called. The library doors opened once more, revealing a young woman struggling to put her dark coat on as she tried to catch up to her mentor.

The man barely slowed as he yanked his keys from his pocket, attempting to find the right key from among the multitude on the metal ring. "No time, Rylee. I need to pack. The flight leaves in the morning."

Rolling her eyes as she finally caught up with him, the student slid into the passenger side seat of the car. "I know, I know."

Richard inserted the key into the ignition, hearing his small car roar to life. He flashed the headlights, the bright beams glaring into the dark forest like a beacon.

"What's this big rush anyway? And don't tell me it's because some university there is looking to hire you. I'm your secretary, more or less; I see all the mail that comes to the school for you."

"It's hard to explain, Rye."

"Story of your life, as of late, hm?"

Richard had the mind to look sheepish as they pulled out of the lot. His pale eyes softened as he glanced to his right, taking in the weary look on Rylee's features. "I'm sorry, my dear, but if I tell you you'll..."

She narrowed her eyes at him curiously, brushing a strand of her long hair behind her ear. "I'll what?"

The professor adjusted his hands on the cold steering wheel, eyes flickering to his rear view mirror before he looked back at her. He ran hand through his chestnut hair. "Think I'm mad."

Rylee let out a small laugh, shaking her head before she yawned widely. Her delicate makeup had faded after a long day at Harvard Medical and her eyes were glazed with exhaustion. "More than I already do?"

A comical smile pulled on the professor's thin lips. "Yes."

"Try me. I have three brothers, remember? There's nothing I haven't heard."

Richard swallowed, turning on his turn signal a few moments before they stopped at a red light. He felt that piercing anxiety churning in his stomach; the same one he'd felt when he had learned the truth and the same one he'd felt so many times before. "I am fairly certain you haven't heard this one."

"_Richard,"_ she pressed.

There was a moment's pause as the professor gained his courage, licking his lips as he followed the curve of the road. Boston was only a few short minutes away and the bright multitude of lights climbing towards the sky was very visible in the dark night. "Fine. Rylee, I'm looking for my nephew."

"Your _nephew?_ I didn't know you had any family. I mean... well, you know."

Letting out a dry laugh, Richard nodded. "Yes, I do know. Quite honestly, I haven't seen him for a very long time. I'd forgotten, but then a few months ago..."

Concern clouded Rylee's eyes and she reaffirmed her hold on her long-strapped purse. "What happened?"

"I had a dream," he said cautiously. "Now, don't give me that look-this is why I didn't want to tell you. He was in that dream and I had the strongest feeling that he was in trouble. I had to find him. I've spent the last several months looking for him."

"And who is this mystery nephew of yours, hm?"

Feeling relief that she was, at least, humoring him for now, he answered, "His name is Colin Jones. He lives in London now."

Rylee blinked in sudden understanding, rubbing her pale eyes. "How did you find him? There must be millions of people in London."

"Oh, _billions_. I found him online a few weeks ago. He and his friend Bradley," though Gaius knew that wasn't his _true_ name, "work for Scotland Yard and have topped the record of successful cases."

The professor would be the first one to admit that when he'd seen his Merlin, his heart had nearly given out on him then and there. He looked exactly the same: his deeply blue eyes, his high cheekbones, his dark, unruly hair, and his ridiculous ears. Richard hadn't been able to stop the rush of fear and protectiveness that had urged him to find his nephew, no matter what the cost. After that, it was as though a veil had been lifted; everything was new and he couldn't stop comparing this new "modern" world to that of the one he called his home at heart while he looked for his long-lost great nephew.

"Well, that's kind of a fluke, huh?"

"Indeed," he agreed. Though, one might have also believed it to be Destiny. "So, still think me mad?"

Rylee chuckled, glancing out the window as they entered the brightly lit city before smiling at her professor. "Always."

* * *

Months had passed since the others remembered and so much had happened within those months. Merlin had slowly healed, though, even with his magic focused on the wound. There would forever be a small, pink scar on his left abdomen from where the bullet had ripped through his flesh, and the warlock often found himself staring at it with both wonderment and sorrow as he dressed. It would be the first permanent scar he'd ever had, and it represented a major turning point in his life.

His mentality, however, was another story. The puffy scar was a physical reminder of all he'd endured, and Arthur worried that the warlock might never truly recover from brushing so close to Death after fifteen hundred years of not being _able _to die.

Nightmares were still a common occurrence; and more than once, the once-king. His wife, or one of the knights found themselves sleeping on the warlock's couch, just in case, when there were severe storms in the forecast. Merlin, though slightly embarrassed about his night terrors even after Arthur had scolded him and told him he had no reason to be, was extremely grateful. And of course, the ancient warlock still had his down days, too, where he just sat at home and watched television until his heavy mind pulled him into blessed sleep. During these dark days, Arthur did everything he could to stay with him, but if he couldn't, there was a queen and a handful of knights who readily offered their services. Even then, the once-king had gently demanded that Merlin call him should he need any help with _anything._

The pair excelled at Scotland Yard. After Arthur had gotten his memories back, the warlock and he were closer than ever before, and it showed in their work. They worked perfectly together, using both Arthur's knowledge and intuitiveness and Merlin's lengthy experience and cleverness, the two had built up a lofty reputation for themselves. To date, they had the highest number of cases solved and the best track record in the field. Both of them had done interviews explaining their process-though Merlin often shied away from the dark news cameras and prim reporters and the onslaught of questions about the most currently caught criminal. Arthur, though, _made sure_ that the warlock was beside him during the interviews, even if he didn't want to talk. The detective often pointed out the critical things that Merlin had done during the case and "_If it wasn't for Colin, the criminal might have never been caught"_ because even if Merlin said he didn't need the recognition or the appreciation, the once-king gave it to him anyway. He deserved it, and there had been more than a handful of times where the warlock's centuries of knowledge and experience in both detective work and the sciences had dramatically helped solve the case.

Besides that, Arthur knew now just how many times someone else had taken the credit for Merlin's endless hard work in Camelot, and he wasn't about to let that happen again. This time around, Merlin would get the credit and recognition he deserved.

It was the least Arthur could do to pay back for everything Merlin had sacrificed for him.

That was their lives now. Solving mysteries and catching bad guys. Together. As it should have been.


	2. Chapter 1

Hey all! Thank you all so much for the reviews. I really appreciate all the encouragement. I wish I could have updated sooner, but my laptop konked out. I'm having to borrow my dads, lol. Again, thank you so much for everything! Enjoy!

* * *

The flight was absolutely torcherous.

The seats were tight, the entertainment bland, and the plane was overcrowded. Richard was sitting next to a businesswoman who was on her laptop the whole time. Thankfully, he was on the isle, so he could get up whenever he wanted to.

But it was infuriating! Eight hours of just _sitting_ and watching _four_ movies as he waited for the plane to finally land. The whole time he thought of Merlin. He thought of Arthur and Gwen and of the knights. He was so excited to see them. To see _him_. They had so many things to talk about. This new world, the old world, and this time Richard would be able to keep up with him. This younger body... In this life he was a vigorous man in his thirties. His shirt hair was still dark, he had barely any wrinkles, and his body was still fit. Remembering his body in the old world, how old he'd been when he first met his young ward... Things would be different now.

He would be different now.

He didn't plan on sitting on the sidelines anymore. He was going to be an active part of the hype. It was going to be wonderful.

He just had to make it through his damn _flight_.

* * *

Leon and Gwaine met them at the bottom of the stairs of the court house, grinning. Each had a cup of coffee in their hands, and each held an extra red cup for Arthur and Merlin.

"What?" Merlin asked when their eyes landed on him.

Gwaine shook his head to move his hair out of his face. "You testimony, mate. Right on point and bloody genius." He threw an arm around Merlin's shoulders and guided him towards the SUV parked on the curb. "We've got our own Sherlock on our team. Which I suppose would make Arthur the elderly John Watson."

"_Oi!"_

Merlin smiled back at his friend. The once-king's blue eyes twinkled with laughter. "Well, you are technically about sixty years old now."

"_Mer_lin."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

They celebrated the end of the case with a feast in Merlin's apartment, as they usually did. Because if there was something Merlin was damn good at, it was cooking, and to top that off, he had fifteen hundred years of experience and traveling the world learning how to make a little bit of everything. Tonight was taco night, and Merlin knew better than anyone how to season meat.

It was like an art form, watching him prepare food. He cheated a little, using his magic to chop tomatoes as he seasoned the meat by hand. Arthur rolled his eyes, wondering just how many times he'd used magic to complete his chores back in Camelot. During his last days, the once-king had seen Merlin use magic a number of times, and it warmed his heart to know that if anyone should have this power, it's his warlock.

"Dinner's ready!" Merlin called. "Buffet style."

They all lined up to prepare their food, and it wasn't long before they were all scattered around the living room, some on the couch and some on the floor, watching a movie. It was a quiet night, a relaxing night, but they were all happy.

And that was the most important thing.

* * *

"I made it to Heathrow," Richard grinned. He shuffled the cell phone next to his ear, using his shoulder to prop it up. "I'm getting a car now and going directly to my nephew's house."

He walked out of the elevator and into the parking garage. It smelled like oil and tires and was sparsely lit. Richard was told that all the rental cars were parked in the garage. It was just taking time to find the-_there._ Richard smiled as he found the correct license plate number. It was a small blue Nissan Micra.

He could hear Rylee grin on the other side of the phone. "I'm glad you made it safe. How was the flight?"

Richard pressed the trunk button on the fob and hastily put his luggage inside, slamming the trunk shut as excitement coursed through him. He would see Merlin soon. Part of him wondered if the boy would even recognize him. He'd given up his long white hair and aged face. He was younger this time around, with short brown hair and no... Well, _less_ wrinkles. He stood tall, and in this life, he was nearly forty years old. "Long, boring. I hate sitting so much. I'm getting old."

"You're fine, calm down," she laughed.

Just as he was about to open the driver's side door, a shadow passed behind him. Fear lit his veins, causing him to jump as he turned around. There was nothing. Just more cars. Not even a soul in sight. He was getting old. Old and paranoid.

"Don't forget about the student's papers, Rylee. They still need to be graded.." As Richard's assistant, he'd left grading the papers to her as class was suspended. "The answers are on my desk."

"I know, Richard," she chirped, smiling.

Another shadow passed behind him, and when Richard turned around this time, there was a dark figure standing behind him. The professor pressed a hand against his chest from fright, taking in a panicked breath.

"You have magic," the dark figure said.

Rylee quieted on the other side of the phone.

"What?" Richard gasped. "What are you talking about?"

"Is there someone there?" Rylee said.

The man rushed at him, pressing a hand against Richard's throat. "_I want it."_

Richard screamed and dropped the phone. It hit hard against the ground, and as he tried to fight, he could distantly hear his assistant yelling on the other side. His head hit the car, disorienting him. His vision blurred as the man's magic shoved him against the car. He whispered something and suddenly, gold threads were coming from Richard. The professor panicked.

"Stop!"

A second man rushed at them, dressed in a long dark coat. He grabbed the man who assaulted the professor and threw him backwards. Richard collapsed to his knees, holding his chest as his vision blurred. His chest heaved as he desperately tried to breathe. His whole being _hurt_ and his magic was crying out in pain. He saw the dark coated man throw the assaulter back with his own magic. The very air was charged with it. Gold threads were still coming off of Richard like smoke.

He heard yelling and looked up. The assaulter was running, and the black coated man was watching him leave. Richard collapsed, feeling the cold hard cement against his cheek. The world went dark.


	3. Chapter 2

Hey all! Even though I'm hoping this quarantine will be over soon, I've been incredibly productive! I hope you like the new chapter!

* * *

Rylee was a romantic. She'd always known that. Ever since she was a child she had always imagined everything with a great, fairytale ending. Of course, given how the world works, it was because of this that she'd faced so much heartache. But despite that, when her professor had confided in her that he was going in search of his long lost nephew, she'd fully supported him.

The young woman had been by his side through it all. Or at least what she'd been able to. It was several weeks before he'd confided everything in her. Several weeks of her knowing something was off and pestering him about it.

Once she did, she did her research. She found out all about "Colin Jones": his history of being a doctor himself, his record setting crime solving skills, and even his address. Not to mention the tizzy Richard had gone into when she'd seen pictures of him and his team mates. All the while, she imagined their dramatic reunion and how heartfelt and wonderful it would be for the both of them.

So, she really hadn't imagined Richard being attacked in a parking garage. She hadn't imagined trying to call the police for an hour and not being able to get through. She certainly hadn't imagined getting a call from Scotland Yard only a few hours later, telling her exactly what their findings were.. And she hadn't expected to be asked to come to London herself as his medical liaison.

Rylee had given her statement to the police. She told them everything she'd heard through the phone. About the man who made him scream and the man who'd saved him.

And now, here she was, at his bedside, listening to the gentle beeps of the heart monitor and the gentle hissing on the breathing nubs they'd inserted into his nose. She pushed her nose into the crook of her elbow, staring up at her professor. That silly, eccentric uncle that everyone shied away from. The quick temper he was known for with his students didn't exactly attract people to him. And his hatred for technology.

For some reason, those things had only endeared her to him. It'd been like a personal challenge for her to break through that grumpy exterior. And once she had, they'd grown close quickly. Rylee didn't have many close friends, and so Richard had quickly become hers.

Her suitcase sat in the corner of the room. She hadn't even been bothered to get a hotel yet. As soon as Rylee had gotten off the airplane, she'd called a cab to take her to the hospital where Richard had been admitted and had talked more in depth with the doctor about his condition.

The doctor had left her alone with him about an hour ago. Rylee closed her tired eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down, even a little. The doctor hadn't had good news.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

Rylee blinked her eyes open and found a nurse positioned on the other side of the bed. "Hm? Sorry."

"No, it's fine," she smiled politely. "Visiting hours are ending in ten minutes."

"Oh." Rylee sighed. She checked her watch. It was nearly nine. "Thank you. I'll get going then. Um, is there any hotels you'd recommend in the area?"

The nurse nodded and left, but quickly returned with a list of three or four hotels for her to choose from just as she had donned her coat. The woman informed her that visiting hours began at nine the next morning. Rylee grabbed her large suitcase and gave her friend one last smile before she left. She called a cab and was halfway to the first hotel on the list when her fingers brushed against a scrap of paper in her purse.

It was an address. It had no name attached to it, but she knew it was _his_ address.

Colin Jones.

Rylee debated for several seconds whether or not to go. She tried to reason it out in her heart, and decided that, yes, if this Richard was as important to this man as Colin was to him, he deserved to know.

She asked the cab driver to change direction and drive her to the new address.

It took the rest of the drive to gather her courage. She was, after all, going to a strange man's address, telling him that his estranged uncle had not only been attacked, but was in critical condition in the hospital. Oh yeah, and that said uncle had been searching for his nephew for weeks now, and that's why he'd been in London in the first place.

Rylee paid the cab driver and climbed out of the vehicle. The apartments weren't bad, fairly high class, so Richard's nephew seemed to be doing well. Though with the number of cases he'd solved, it wasn't a great surprise. She entered the lobby and found the elevator fairly quickly.

The young woman took several deep breaths as the elevator rose. Despite the layers of clothes she was wearing beneath her thick coat, she felt naked. And the twist of anxiety in her stomach wasn't helping. Richard was supposed to be here doing this, not her. For a moment, she considered backing out altogether. Surely she didn't have the right to barge into the middle of this. But with a slow exhale and another thought to what Richard would want, her resolve was set.

She would do this for Richard.

The elevator pinged the arrival at the floor, and she checked the scrap of paper in her hand for the apartment number. She set her suitcase beside the door and knocked. A dog barked from within, but she knocked once more.

When the young man opened the door, she couldn't help the rush of surprise she felt. His hair was raven and his eyes were the color of the sea, but it was in his face. The way he quirked his eyebrow and in his mannerisms. The kindness in his eyes. They were definitely related.

She told him who she was and after having his identify confirmed, she was rather shocked that he didn't recognize her uncle's name at all. When he saw the picture, however, the response was instantaneous. Rylee didn't think she'd ever seen someone react so strongly to something. Her romantic half set aside.

Colin looked deathly pale, and his breaths came in short gasps. He looked like he was having a panic attack.

She hesitantly laid her hand on his arm. "Mr. Jones? Mr. Jones, are you okay?"

His panicked eyes found hers and suddenly he changed. He stood straighter, composed himself. He took a deep breath and said, "Maybe you should come inside."

The young man backed up, allowing her into his apartment. Her brain told her that she shouldn't. That despite being Richard's nephew, this man was still a stranger. It was late at night. She really shouldn't. But she felt compelled. And she wasn't afraid at all. Something about him put her completely at ease. And despite his mild break when he saw the picture, he seemed completely put together. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her suitcase in with her.

The dog she'd heard earlier immediately bounded up to her, sniffing her legs, her shoes, and her suitcase. Rylee reached down and pet her behind her ears, smiling.

"That's Iris," Merlin commented in the background. He shut the door behind him, and Rylee noticed with satisfaction that he left the door unlocked. Richard always did the same thing. Habits. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Um, water, please?"

"Sure. Please, take a seat."

She did, and after he returned with drinks for both of them, he jumped right into it.

"Please, tell me what you know about him."

She couldn't help the surprise that ran through her. Her brow furrowed and Rylee asked, "What… what do you know about him? Why didn't you recognize his name? But you recognized his picture?"

The man's lips thinned, though she couldn't tell if it was because he was thinking about it, or he was annoyed. Or a combination of the two. "He is my uncle, yes. I know him from a long time ago, but he went by a different name. I… I didn't know he was going by a different name."

Rylee could tell that it wasn't exactly the truth, but she let it slide. She rubbed the pad of her thumb across her mobile phone screen. "Richard is my teacher. He's a professor at a university in America. I… joined his class a few years ago, but I'd known him long before that. I've never been particularly close with my father, so he kind of became one to me."

When Rylee paused, she saw the young man swallow before he spoke. "He… He was my teacher, too. A long time ago."

She gave him a small smile and continued. "A few weeks ago, he started having these dreams. About you. He started acting weird. He wasn't prepared for lessons, was distracted during class. I pestered him for weeks before he finally cracked and told me everything. I suspected that he'd been wanting to confide in someone about everything anyway. He suddenly needed to find you. So I helped him."

"Thank you."

"Of course," she said. She took another deep breath, willing her nerves to calm. This is where it got complicated, after all. "Once he learned about you and your team, he wanted nothing more than to come to London. He booked the next flight up as soon as we'd found your address. Mr. Jones…"

He shook his head slowly. The warmth in his voice surprised her. "Please, call me Colin. Or Merlin. I go by both."

"Okay, Merlin," Rylee said. "Interesting choice."

He smirked like there was some joke she didn't understand, but his expression changed fairly quickly. "So, what happened?"

Rylee looked away from him, biting her lower lip. "He landed in London last night, but he… He was attacked. I was on the phone with him at the time, and…" She kept out the screams, the yells, the pain. "Someone saved him. It sounded like a young man, but I'm not sure, but, Merlin… Whatever happened, he's…" Rylee met his eyes and saw thinly veiled fear there. He was trying to remain strong, but it was failing. She wasn't in a much better position and forced herself to swallow her tears. As she finally gave him the truth. "I'm so sorry… He's in a coma."

"Oh."

She suddenly couldn't read him. Merlin's blue eyes were stone, and the only giveaway of his stress was how his lips were set in a firm line. He wasn't look at her. Instead, he stared off at far wall. There was a far away look in his eye.

"And I thought that it would get easier," he whispered.

It was so quiet, she almost didn't hear it.

"I'm sorry?"

He gave her a plain smile that held no certain emotion, and yet it oddly set her at ease. "It's nothing. Um, do you have a place to stay tonight?"

The sudden change took her by surprise and she struggled to gather her thoughts. "I… I was going to get a hotel."

"Nonsense. Please, stay here. Tomorrow, you can take me to see him."

"No, no, I don't want to impose."

"It's no problem at all. I have a spare room. You'll be comfortable." Without waiting for her to answer, he stood up and walked around the couch. "It's just this way."

Rylee's mind was several steps behind her feet. She grabbed her purse and suitcase and followed him down the hallway to a small bedroom with a single bed and a small dresser. He turned the lights on and after she dumped her stuff off, he gave her a quick run of the house, still not giving her any room to argue.

"Thank you, Merlin," she said finally, after the tour was over. "For letting me stay."

"It's my pleasure. If you're as close to Ga-Richard as you say, he would have wanted this. I'll leave you to sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Merlin shut the door behind him, and she was alone. She plopped down on the bed, finally shedding her thick coat. The day's events finally washed over her, and she realized she hadn't actually slept in almost thirty-six hours. Not since yesterday morning. It had been classes at the college, work after that, several hours of studying, and then the phone call with Richard. Crying. Then talking to the police, booking her plane ticket, packing. Crying. The overnight flight to London. She hadn't been able to sleep on the plane. Finally, getting to the hospital, talking to the doctor. Crying.

Even now, she felt warm tears pressing against the backs of her eyes.

She stooped down and unzipped her suitcase, pulling out her pajamas. Every article of clothing she removed seemed to take an ounce of stress off her shoulders. But as she shut the lights off and tucked herself into bed, she pulled the blankets up to her chin and finally allowed the tears to come.


	4. Chapter 3

The smell of coffee woke Rylee the next morning. She took a deep breath and let it out as a content sigh, pulling the warm blankets a little further up. But to get the coffee, she'd have to get out of bed, she quickly realized. The young woman groaned.

Her hazel eyes fluttered open, and for a second confusion overtook her before she recognized the room she was currently staying in. Colin Jones' house. Merlin's house. Everything came back to her in a rush. The attack, the phone call, the hospital. Coming here.

It all seemed so overwhelming all of a sudden. She took a deep breath, already feeling a weight against her temples. She really needed coffee. Her phone was on the bedside table. It said it was nearly seven thirty. Visiting hours at the hospital started in an hour and a half.

Rylee reluctantly tossed the covers aside, shivering when the sudden warmth of the cocoon she'd made was gone. Rummaging through her suitcase once more, she quickly found fresh clothes for the day. She changed and then slipped into the bathroom to splash some water on her face.

The aroma of coffee guided her to the kitchen, where another young woman stood behind the countertop. Rylee felt a tinge of apprehension when she didn't see Merlin anywhere in the main living area. And she didn't know this new woman at all. Her skin was dark as chocolate; her curls were pulled into a side ponytail that hung off her shoulder. When she looked up, however, a bright smile came to her face.

"Good morning," she said softly. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well. Thank you."

The young woman rounded the counter. She was still wearing pajama bottoms and a plain tee shirt, and she was an inch or two shorter than Rylee herself. She extended her hand. "My name is Guinevere, but everyone just calls me Gwen. I'm a friend of Colin's. I live just across the hall."

Rylee shook her hand briefly. She ran her hands down the sides of her jeans nervously, glancing around the room again, as if looking again would make Merlin appear. Or even Richard.

"There's fresh coffee, if you'd like some. And for breakfast, there's cereal or eggs."

"Oh, thank you," she said. "Um, cereal's fine."

Gwen only smiled and gathered the materials. "Please, go ahead and take a seat."

The young woman swallowed thickly, but took a seat at Merlin's dining room table. Gwen brought everything out to her, being the perfect host, and just as she was bringing out the sugar and cream for the coffee, Merlin and another new person arrived.

This one was blonde and was also wearing his pajamas. He was taller than the media pictures made him out to be. His jaw was clenched but his eyes, even though he was still in his night clothes, were sharp and fully focused. When he saw her standing there, he blinked, and the severity of his gaze was gone, replaced with kindness.

Merlin, however, was still dressed in the same clothing from last night, as if he hadn't gone to bed at all. From the light bags under his eyes, Rylee guessed that her hypothesis was correct and that he'd been up all night thinking about Richard.

"Good morning," he greeted, a smile spreading across his face. "I see you've met Gwen. This is her husband, Arthur."

"Arthur?"

Merlin's brow furrowed with confusion before understanding flooded his eyes.

The blond shook his head before walking forward and extending his hand. "Bradley. My friend's call me Arthur. Long story."

She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Merlin tells us that you're good friends with Gaius?"

"Gaius?"

Guinevere snorted in the background, pouring herself a bowl of cereal. "Oh, this just gets funnier and funnier."

"That's what we used to call him," Arthur explained. "A long time ago."

Richard had never talked about them before until a few weeks ago. What had happened that had kept them from each other for so long? They had clearly been close once upon a time. "Oh."

Merlin walked towards his kitchen, grabbing two more bowls out of the cabinet. "Arthur, coffee?" When his friend nodded, he grabbed two coffee mugs as well. "So, we were thinking that after breakfast, we'd go see Richard? Assuming, you'd like to come, of course."

"Yes, definitely."

Guinevere swallowed a bite of her cereal. "What about the rest of the guys? I'm sure they'll all want to see him too."

"Well we can't all go at the same time, right?" the young man chimed in.

"The guys will take shifts, I guess?" Arthur said. "I don't know. We'll work it out. Later."

These people intrigued her. As they continued to talk amongst each other, Rylee guessed there was a lot more to these people than meets the eye. Excluding the fact that they all had Arthurian legend nicknames.

Take Merlin for example. He was a very kind young man. Charming, even. But though he looked like the youngest, he had an air of maturity around him. He seemed much older than he was. And the way he carried himself… It was so dignified.

And the other two. The married couple. It was the same with them. They were young, perhaps only a few years older than herself, and yet, there was still that air around them that spoke of ages of wisdom.

Stranger still, it was the same air she felt when she was with Richard.

It was disconcerting to say the least.

But oddly comforting.

Time passed quickly. They finished breakfast, got dressed, and walked out the door. Another man was just leaving his apartment, throwing his jacket around his shoulders. There had been a small frown on his face, but as he saw the group, he beamed.

"Aye, pals! Who's your lady friend here?"

He sauntered up to them and gently took her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

"The name's Gwaine. Sir Gwaine. At your service."

She couldn't help the blush that crept across her face. "Um. Rylee."

"Ah, geez," Merlin snorted.

Arthur and Gwen rolled their eyes in unison, smirking knowingly.

But too soon the devilish smile faded from his lips and the small frown returned. "You guys are going to see Gaius?"

Another person Richard never talked about.

Merlin's eyes hardened and he nodded.

"Well, let me know how it goes, okay?" He looked mainly to Merlin as he said it, but gave each of the others a glance too.

"We will," Arthur promised.

As they left, Rylee didn't miss the way Gwaine clapped his younger friend's shoulder sympathetically and squeezed. It added to her confusion, and frankly, her frustration. Merlin had clearly been close with his uncle. So much so that he was deeply grieving the state he was in now. So how come Richard had never talked about him? How come Merlin had never communicated with him? Why hadn't they talked in so long?

_She didn't understand!_

Rylee squashed down her annoyance and followed the young couple to the elevator. Merlin caught up them quickly, and she saw the Gwaine person slip back into his apartment. A blush crawled across her face at the thought of the young man, and she found herself wondering what the Professor would think of the young man.

"So how long ago did Gaius begin wanting to look for us?" Arthur asked.

The young woman bit her lower lip as the elevator carried them downstairs. "It was about a month ago. He'd been in a car accident. Nothing bad," she assured them when they looked at her, shocked. "Just a concussion and a some bruising. He recovered quickly, but once his head was healed he became withdrawn and quiet. He wasn't prepared for class and he kept forgetting things. I kept asking him about it. I was really worried. He finally told me one day, and I started helping him. It was more difficult since he couldn't remember your actual names. He just kept saying 'my nephew, my nephew.' He finally saw a small article someone had done about one of your more difficult cases, and somehow knew it was you guys. I searched your names on the internet, and that was it. That was a week ago. And as soon as he had his affairs in order, he caught a flight straight here."

The elevator doors opened to the parking garage. Arthur fished the keys out of his pocket. His wife walked behind him, but glanced back as she asked, "How well do you know him?"

"Fairly well, I think. I've known him for years."

But the way Guinevere glanced hesitantly at the dark haired man made her feel like she was missing something. Something big. Anger ran through her again. These people had been out of his life for ages, so how could they possibly think that they knew more than she did about _her_ professor?

They climbed into their SUV and Rylee reminded him of the hospital he was in. The drive didn't take long. Traffic was surprisingly light, and when they arrived there, the young woman didn't miss how their steps picked up. Gwen's hand was intertwined with her husbands, and Merlin walked closely next to them. They reached reception, and a nurse gathered Richard's information before leading them to his hospital room.

She didn't miss the sharp gasps when they finally saw him. They stopped several steps away from the bed, though Rylee kept going and pulled a chair up next to the bed. He was much the same: steady breaths, regular heartbeat, achingly still. She already felt restless. Her friend was in a coma, and she couldn't do anything to help him. Tears were already pressing against the backs of her eyes.

"I'm going to run down the hallway and get some coffee," she said, digging a few coins out of her purse. "I'll be back soon."


	5. Chapter4

Despite the picture he'd seen, despite knowing that he was… different, Merlin couldn't help the shock he felt at seeing his once-guardian lying prone on the oversized hospital bed… Young. His hair was short and dark. His skin was tan with a light splattering of freckles across his nose. Merlin could tell he was taller than he used to be, thinner, and stronger.

So very unlike the frail old man he'd once known.

"That's Gaius?" Gwen asked skeptically, once Rylee was out of the room. She walked up to the bed and folded her hand around the man's. "How is he… I mean. What…?"

The young warlock rested a hand on the man's shoulder and felt the familiar rush of Gaius' magic. His magic itself was aged, experienced, and achingly familiar. "It's him. His magic is still the same. Every person's magic is unique to themselves. Gaius'… it's his."

Arthur stood behind them, arms folded across his chest. "Do you think Rylee knows about his magic?"

"Not that I can tell," Merlin said. "Although, if she did, I doubt she'd tell us about it. She probably thinks we'd think her mad." He walked towards the end of the bed, where the nurse had left his updated medical chart. He snatched it off the hanger and began flipping through its pages. "Comatose. Unexplained. Unsurprising, given our luck. Oh, he was born in London. He's only a few years older than I am. Younger than Leon and Perce, but older than all three of us."

"Much older," Gwen smiled softly.

"Colin Jones? Doctor Colin Jones?"

Their eyes were all diverted to an older man standing in the doorway, holding a clipboard in one hand. His eyes filled with recognition before he walked further into the room. "It is you!"

Merlin forced a smile and shook the man's hand. "William Ulrich! Wonderful to see you again. How've you been?"

"Good, good. Hey, I'm sorry to hear about Jon. He was a good man."

The warlock closed his eyes, thinking of the old Commissioner. It had been a few months now since his passing, but it still hurt to think of his old friend. He had, after all, been the one to reconnect Merlin with his friends of old. He owed him a debt of gratitude he couldn't begin to repay.

"Thank you. Hey, Will, what can you tell me about this man? Are you his doctor?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, I am. Well, I'm sure you've already looked through his medical chart. His coma has no explanation. An anonymous caller called it in, and there hasn't been a change in his condition since he's been brought it. You know him?"

Merlin took a deep breath. "He's my uncle. On my mother's side."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Will said sympathetically. His brow furrowed and the deep thought on his face was clear. "Hey, I heard you were working with the police now?" When Merlin nodded, the doctor continued. "Well, Colin, you should probably know that this isn't the only unexplained coma patient we have here. There are two more. I thought it must be a coincidence, but with this third patient..."

Arthur, who had been carefully listening in on the exchange, said, "Someone's been putting people in comas? You think it's on purpose? I'm sorry, I'm Detective Bradley James from Scotland Yard. You were saying there's two more comatose patients with the same symptoms?"

"Um, yes, sir," the doctor said, clearing his throat. "One a young man, another a young woman. They were admitted three nights apart from each other. No apparent connection between the two of them. Both comatose with no apparent reason."

The warlock looked between the doctor and the detective, frowning in thought. "If this is as you suspect, we'll need their files and personal information."

"I'll open a formal case file for it," Arthur suggested, already grabbing his phone out of his pocket. "Merlin, I'll call Leon. You look at the patient files." He walked out of the room, pressing his phone against his ear.

"I'll just show you to their rooms?" William suggested.

Merlin nodded. "Please."

The elder man guided him down the hallway, passing only a handful of rooms before he entered one. The name on the door was Claire Bennett. A young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, was laid on the bed. Her heart monitor beeped steadily in the corner. A plastic tube was stretched across her upper lip, pushing air into her nostrils.

The doctor grabbed her medical chart. "Claire Bennett. Nineteen years old. When she didn't come home from work, her parents went looking for her and was found unconscious on the ground. Physically unharmed saved for a bruise on her head. Presumably from falling given the size. No witnesses. She was the first one admitted, nearly a week ago. Her family visits everyday."

As habit, Merlin checked her vitals, even peeling her eyelids back. Her eyes didn't respond to the light; they were a blank slate, lifeless. Almost soul-less.

"Next one is a few more doors down."

William turned and walked out; Merlin followed him down the hallway and into a room a few more doors down. There was a young man laying in the bed.

"James Matthews. Twenty five. Admitted three days ago. He was found in an alleyway behind his work by a coworker. No witnesses to the incident. Physically unharmed. No apparent reason for the coma. His fiancé works as a nurse at this very hospital. And now your uncle. It doesn't make sense."

Merlin huffed. None of this was making sense. In all his years, he couldn't remember there ever being a time with unexplained comas. Every medical case always had an explanation, where its cause was rooted in science, or…

"Oh." Merlin hesitantly reached forward and set a hand on the young man's shoulder. He sent out just a tiny thread of his own magic, testing out the young man's abilities. Yes. Yes, there it was. This man had magic. He could feel the familiarity of it. But there was something distinctly wrong. Matthews' magic was screaming out. It was missing something. Part of his magic was missing. Would it be the same with the other two? Is that what had perhaps cause the coma? Their magic missing?

But he had tested Gaius' magic before and nothing had cried out with him like it had before.

"Did you find something?"

He turned back around to William, letting his hand fall from the young man's shoulders. Merlin pressed his lips together. "Afraid not," he lied. "I should get back to Arthur. He's probably opened an official case by now so we can get started on figuring out why this is happening."

They walked out of the patient's room together, this time Merlin took the lead. By the time he arrived at Richard's room Rylee had returned. She held a steaming cup of coffee at the end and was smiling at something Gwen had said. Arthur got back only seconds after they did. The doctor had to return to his shift, but made sure to get Merlin's phone number and promised to call if anything changed.

The warlock thanked him and went to Gaius' side. He reached out and tested out his magic, as he had with the other patient's. Gaius magic met his, but this time, he pushed further, pushing his magic deeper into his friend… Yes. It was subtle, and there was less… But there was still magic missing. There was still so much _gone_.

Arthur grabbed his arm and pulled him a few steps away. "Leon is talking with my father now about opening a formal investigation, but he doesn't think there will be a problem. We should start looking into it immediately. I'll have Leon try to find a commonality between the three of them."

"I agree. I think I figured out why all these people are comatose."

His eyebrow peaked with surprise but he smiled, prideful. "Already? What've you found?"

Merlin snorted. "They're missing some of their magic. Yeah, I know," he said to his friend's surprised face. "At least one of the other patients has magic, and a good portion of it is simply missing. Magic is in their very being, so when part of them is taken, their bodies would automatically shut down."

"Okay, so why is their magic missing?"

"That's what I don't understand. They have no injuries. No marks on them. I don't see how it could have been taken."

"Well, we'd better get started then."

Rylee and Guinevere opted to stay with Gaius. The warlock made sure that Rylee knew she was welcome back at his place whenever she wanted to return. The once-queen said she'd keep the young woman occupied until they returned.

"We'll start with Claire Bennett's file," Arthur said. He shuffled the papers around that the kind receptionist had given him. "Start at her home and then pop into her work. Sound good? Merlin?"

The aged warlock blinked and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Sorry, I'm still trying to figure out how they did it."

"One step at a time, my friend."

They arrived at the car, and Merlin pulled up directions to the young woman's address. It was a beautiful two story house. Brick, with ivy crawling up it. When they knocked on the door, an older woman answered.

"Yes, can I help you?"

Arthur pulled out his credentials and showed them to her. "Mrs. Bennett, I presume? Detective Bradley James from Scotland Yard. This is my partner, Colin Jones. We just have a few questions about Claire Bennett."

"Oh my god." Tears glossed her eyes. "Is she?"

"She's fine," Merlin quickly assured her. "She's in the same condition as she was. Truth is, there were two more admitted in the same condition. We're just trying to find a link between them."

The woman took a moment to compose herself before she allowed them inside. It looked larger inside than it did outside. Spacious and colorful.

"Mom? Mom, is someone here?"

A boy came bounding down the stairs. Maybe fourteen. He wore jeans and a band tee shirt. Messy brown hair fell over blue eyes. Merlin could easily see the resemblance.

"Just some men with some questions about Claire, dear. Nothing to worry about."

The kid eyed them skeptically before trotting back up the stairs.

"Daniel," she said in explanation. "He's been very brave. Would you like some tea? Coffee, maybe?"

"Tea would be lovely, thank you."

"Please, take a seat in the living room. I'll be right out."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Arthur walked into the living room, the warlock following. There were pictures strewn across the room, Frames hung from the walls, standing on the fireplace. All of their family and friends. There were a handful of bouquets of various flowers and sympathy cards wishing the family well during this hard time.

Mrs. Bennett sat on the couch across from them, her fingers fidgeting with her wedding band anxiously. "We were planning on visiting Claire soon as her father came home from work this afternoon. Did you just come from the hospital?"

"Yes, ma'am," Merlin answered softly. "Claire is stable, though we're still not sure of the cause of her condition."

She nodded.

"You and your husband were the ones who found her, yes?"

"Yeah, um. She had said she was going to be home at nine from work. And she always calls if she'll be late. She knows how I worry. Anyway, when she didn't come home… We waited until ten before we tried calling. There was no answer. So we went out looking for her. She was…" The woman sniffed. "She was sitting against the wall, unconscious. We couldn't rouse her. Nothing had been stolen. We called an ambulance, and… Well, you saw the results. The doctor's are baffled. They have no answers."

There was a squeak on the stairs, and Merlin glanced over to see young Daniel ducking behind the wall. Arthur was still talking to Mrs. Bennett, and the warlock excused himself. Neither paid him any mind. Merlin reached the stairs just in time to see the boy jump inside his room and shut his door. He cautiously climbed the stairs, cringing at every squeak.

He gave a light rap on the door. When there was no answer, he twisted the handle and pushed it open. The room was dark, the blinds drawn despite the early morning light. The only light came from the computer screen sitting on the desk. "Daniel?"

"What do you want?"

The boy was sitting on the bed, his eyes narrowed, but also curious.

"We're trying to find out what happened to your sister."

"But you know what's happened. You sensed it too."

Merlin felt his breath catch. "Sensed what, Daniel?" He took several cautious steps forward, sitting down in the computer chair. "What are you talking about?"

The boy's brow furrowed. There was frustration in his voice. "But you have to! I sensed you. You have it too. You _must_. You're like us."

"What do you mean, Daniel?" he asked again, slowly. Oh, he had a very good idea of what the boy was asking, but he had to make sure. And the fact that he could have sensed his magic. Why, that took a lot of skill indeed. And now that Merlin sought out the magic in the house, he could feel it… Pulsing through the air. It wasn't only Claire who had magic. It was all of them.

A _family_ with magic.

"You have… _magic_." He mouthed the last word, not even daring to say it.

A wide grin spread across Merlin's lips. It was so rare to find anyone with magic anymore, much less a whole family. It was wonderful. Beautiful. "I do. So do you." It wasn't a question.

The boy gasped as his theories were confirmed. "Mum!" The boy ran past him and raced down the stairs. "Mum!"

"Daniel? Daniel, what's wrong?"

Merlin followed him down the stairs and found the young boy tugging on his mother's sleeve excitedly. The once-king stood beside her looking extremely perplexed.

"Mum! He has magic! Like us! He can help Claire!"

"Daniel! That's enough now. Stop it." She looked between Merlin and Arthur, her face apologetic. But her eyes betrayed the panic within her. "I'm sorry. You know kids these days. Their fantasies."

"But, _mum_…"

Merlin snapped his fingers, his eyes glowing a honey-gold for only seconds before a hot flame danced in the palm of his hand. It flickered and snapped. Mrs. Bennett gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Daniel was encased by it.

A second later, the flame was gone, having burned itself out.

The young boy beamed up at his mother. "I told you, mum."

Mrs. Bennett collapsed on the couch, a single tear tracing its way down her cheek. The awe and relief in her eyes was clear. "You really… You really have magic?" When the warlock nodded, the mother took a deep breath and pulled the collar of her shirt down a little, revealing a patch of skin just under her collarbone.

There, in dark ink, was a Druid tattoo.

This time, Arthur was the one that gasped. "You're a Druid."

The woman and the boy's eyes snapped to him, distrust coloring their eyes.

"He knows my secret, of course," Merlin said quickly. "It's okay. He can be trusted."

Mrs. Bennett took a breath, wrapping her arm around the boy's shoulders. "Yes, we're Druids. My whole family. And if you have magic, then… you know about Claire. Then I assume you realize the problem."

"Some of her magic was missing," Merlin answered. "What I don't understand is how or why."

"We can't figure that out either. But I feel better knowing that someone else with the gift is helping. Thank you, Mr. Jones."

He nodded, and they said their goodbyes. Merlin gave them his phone number should they need anything and promised to keep them updated on the case.


	6. Chapter5

Hey guys! So sorry about the wait. I just moved and I don't have WiFi yet so I'm uploading from my phone. If the formatting turns out weird, I apologize. I'll fix it once I can use my computer.

Enjoy!

——————————————————————

"Gwaine, Perce, you can go see Gaius." Leon pressed end call, slipping it into his pocket. "Apparently, we have someone running around putting people in comas. Arthur just opened a casefile for it, so I'm going to get that sorted. El, you're on--"

"--yes, working on the report now."

"Wonderful. So you two are free to go. Gwen will fill you in once you get there."

The once-knight ran a hand through his hair and spun his chair around. "Let's go, Percy!" He grabbed his keys off the desk, along with his phone. He shot off a quick text to Merlin, updating him, and snatched his coat off the back of the chair.

"I'll drive," Percival offered.

Gwaine tossed him the keys before he slipped on his jacket.

"Oi!" Elyan called. "Gwen wants two Starbucks! I'm telling her to text you the details."

"Gotcha!"

The two detectives slipped into the lift seconds before the younger one got the text from her. It brought them down into the parking garage, and they were quickly on their way.

"I thought things couldn't get weirder," Gwaine sighed, gazing out the window. Cars passed by, people trudged down the street, completely oblivious to the goings on of the bigger world around them. "And then there's a serial comatose inducer walking around."

"Magic?" Percival suggested. "Merlin dealt with a lot of magical sickness cases back in Camelot. And I'm sure more in the time he was waiting."

The younger shrugged. "Probably. But… These people are completely oblivious."

"Like we were in Camelot. Don't worry, I'm sure Merlin knows what he's doing."

"It's Merlin I'm worried about," he admitted. "It's always one thing after the other. If one thing isn't going wrong, something else is. And now this with Gaius. I mean, what if he never wakes up? Do you know what that would do to him? To finally have him back only for him to sleep through his fingers. Don't pretend you haven't noticed how quiet he gets if Gaius is brought up."

Percival sighed and scratched his head. "We'll get through this. Like we have everything else. " They pulled through the drive through and ordered Guinevere's drinks, along with two of their own, before pulling up. The barista handed them their drinks, but Gwaine wasn't paying any attention.

His attention was focused on a young man walking out of Starbucks. Gwaine could only see his shaggy jet black hair. It curled at the ends and was long enough to brush the collar of the equally dark floor length coat. But, still… There was something so familiar about him.

Percival began driving forward, and it was then that the young man turned around. Pale skin. Narrowed black eyes. A frown marred his unmistakable face.

Mordred.

Shock, awe, and anger all suddenly rushed through him. "Oi!"

Percy slammed on the brakes, startled. It jerked the once-knight forward and his eyes snapped shut. When he opened them, the young man was gone.

"What's wrong?" he snapped with concern. Gwaine's eyes narrowed and he continued staring out the window. After a moment, when he still didn't respond, Percival set his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Gwaine, what's wrong?"

There was fear in his dark eyes when he turned to his friend. "I just… I thought I saw… I mean. It's nothing. Probably nothing. I…"

"What did you think you see?"

The detective looked away. Surely he couldn't have seen him. It was just… He was seeing things. Right?

"I thought I saw… Mordred."

Percival's hand stayed on his friend's shoulder. "So you didn't see him?"

"I…I don't know. I blinked and he was gone. I'm probably just seeing things."

A car behind them honked and both of them jumped. Percival pulled the car up out of the drive through and parked. "Listen, if there's even a chance you saw him, you should tell Arthur and Merlin. Everyone else came back. There's a chance…"

"No, I don't want to worry him. He's already got enough on his plate. I'm sure I was just seeing things," Gwaine frowned. He grabbed his drink and took a long sip. "It's fine. Let's get to the hospital."

The detective's lips thinned with thought, but he put the car in drive and continued onto the hospital.

——————————————————————

"James Matthews. Apartment number… Five Twenty three," Arthur answered. He snapped the file shut after double checking the number. The apartment's spare key, given to him by the landlord, rested in his other hand.

Merlin led the way to the lift, and it rose several levels before slowly coming to a stop. They were fairly nice apartments. The hallway was rather plain, with light blue walls and tile floors, but it had been taken care of nicely.

"Alright, let's see what we've got," Merlin said once they'd found the apartment.

The detective stepped forward and inserted the key, twisted the door handle, and carefully pushed the door open. Merlin flipped on the hallway light that was above a table. Several sets of keys lay in a basket besides the door, along with a few more pairs of shoes. The apartment was long instead of wide, and to the left was the lounge and to the right was the kitchen. Behind the lounge was another hallway that presumably led to bedrooms.

"Nice place," Arthur commented.

There was a crash further into the apartment.

The detective reached inside his jacket and pulled his gun, aiming it at the ground as he crouched against the wall. Merlin's eyes narrowed, and he stepped around Arthur, his palm down. He glanced at his friend, and though he saw reluctance in his blue eyes, Arthur allowed him to take the lead.

"Be careful," he hissed. "It could be them."

Merlin crept through the living area towards the bedroom; his friend was close behind him. There was more rustling, and the warlock ducked behind the adjacent wall as someone walked out of the bedroom. Merlin unconsciously held his breath; his body tense and rigid. In seconds, he jumped out across the hall and shoved the woman against the wall, his forearm lining her collarbone.

She screamed and her eyes went wide. Her dark hair was strewn across her face. The young woman's hands clawed at Merlin's arm, but one she saw the detective's gun, she stilled, her breaths coming in gasps.

"Who are you?" Arthur barked.

"Ang--Angela. My-my name is Angela. James is my fi-fiancé."

"Let me see some ID."

Her eyes went to the bedroom. "My purse is in there. On the bed."

"Merlin."

The warlock took a hesitant step back, gently removing his arm from her chest. Once he was sure she wouldn't dart away, he slipped into the bedroom. Her purse was sitting atop the queen bed, and he fished out her wallet before going back out. "Angela Fisher?" Her name matched and her photograph matched up. "It's her."

"Sorry about that, Miss Fisher," Arthur said, holstering his gun. He pulled out his own ID as she took several breaths to calm herself. "Bradley James, Scotland Yard. Colin Jones," he said, pointing at the warlock beside him.

Merlin handed the woman her purse and wallet. "We thought you might have been the person who attacked him. Are you alright?"

"Fine, thank you," she snapped. "I'm just not used to men breaking into my fiancé's apartment and shoving a gun in my face." Her eyes suddenly snapped to his and she stood straighter, rolling her shoulders. "Wait, how do you know he was attacked?"

The warlock glanced between his friend and Angela. "New evidence suggests so. We have a few questions, if you don't mind."

She sighed and walked past them into the living room. Angela threw her purse on the couch, sitting down next to it. "Well, you've already scared me out of my wits."

"You have magic."

"_Merlin_."

The woman took a sharp gasp and didn't answer. Her left hand crept over her engagement band.

"Do you understand the meaning of subtlety?" Arthur went on. "Geez."

"There's magic here," the warlock said. His eyes were focused on the woman. "James has it… And I suspect that you have it too."

Her eyes narrowed. "And you?"

Merlin's eyes flashed with gold, and while nothing happened, it was enough to prove to the woman that he did, indeed, have such abilities. "You should be able to sense it."

"No," she countered. Smiling down at the ring, she continued. "My magic isn't strong enough for that. James' magic is much stronger than mine."

"Do you understand the cause of the coma?" the detective asked.

Angela sat a little straighter "You found out why? When? What is it?"

Arthur looked to the warlock to explain, given his magical knowledge.

"It seems that a part of his magic is… missing. Because of this, his body shut down and he fell into the coma he's in now," he said softly.

"How-how do we fix him? How do we get him back?" Angela said. Her voice quacked. "And why would they target James?

"We're working on that," Merlin answered. "But I need you to tell me, do you know a Claire Bennett? Would James?"

The woman bit her lower deep and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I… It doesn't sound familiar. Why?"

"She's another coma victim," the detective said. "Along with his uncle."

Angela's eyes filled with sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. Arthur, did you have any other questions for her?"

"I don't think so. Miss, could we have your phone number in case anything else comes up?"

"Of course."

They took her phone number and left. Once they were in the car, Merlin let out a strangled growl. He seemed to age years before the detective's eyes.

"We're no closer to finding out what's happening than we were this morning! Neither of their families knew anything! Rylee doesn't know anything! I don't even think she knows about Gaius' magic! How the heck am I supposed to help them! They're relying on me, and I can't do anything!"

Arthur sat patiently beside his friend, watching as he pressed the flat of his palms into his eyes. He's been waiting for this. Because Merlin wasn't Merlin unless he was wracked with guilt about things that weren't his fault.

"Hey, who's the one who figured out why they were comatose in the first place? You gave us our first lead, Merlin." He set his hand on his friend's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Give yourself more credit. We'll figure this out. We always do. It'll take time, but we'll figure it out. Do you suspect Morgana's hand in this?"

The warlock sighed, laying back in his seat. He'd considered Morgana. Several times, in fact. It would be easy to blame her for this. He took several deep breaths before speaking. This time, more calmly. "I don't think so. She's been dormant for over a year now. Morgana's always done something if she was able to benefit from it herself. She hasn't anything to benefit here."

"Nothing that we're aware of. I'll have Leon check on her whereabouts just in case. Merlin," he said more firmly, drawing his friend's eyes. "We'll get through this."

"I hope so."

——————————————————————

"Doctor! I need a doctor in here!" A nurse ran out of the room grabbing the door jam and shouting it again before she ran back inside. "Ma'am, please, I need you outside."

Mrs. Bennett collapsed into her husband's arms, tears streaming down her face. "Claire! Oh, Claire, please!"

"Ma'am!"

"Claire!" The young boy was held back only by his father's strong arms. "Claire, wake up! Wake up!"

Several more nurses rushed into the room, ushering the family out into the hallway just as the young woman began convulsing. Her whole body spasmed and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

"Please, save her!" her mother screamed.

Doctor Ulrich ran into the room, snapping the door closed behind him. He felt a twinge of guilt at shutting the family out, but he couldn't have them distracting anyone. "What's her status?"

"No pulse."

"She's stopped breathing!"

"Hold her down!"

Before the doctor could think to do anything, however, the girl suddenly stilled. Her eyelids snapped shut and stayed that way. The heart monitor stayed silent.

"Adrenaline," Ulrich snapped.

There was a syringe in his hand in less than ten seconds. The doctor shoved it into the girls arm, pressing down the topper. There were several seconds of absolute silence as they waited.

And then took a sudden breath in.

"Oh, thank god," a nurse gasped.

Claire Bennett's heart monitor beeped steadily again; her breath regulated.

"Still comatose, sir," another nurse informed him.

Ulrich was scribbling down notes on a pad, double and triple checking the machines that monitors that showed her life signs. "I want her in the lab in twenty minutes for a CAT scan. Take blood for testing. We need to figure out what caused that. Get moving!"

——————————————————————

Gwaine pressed himself against the wall as several nurses carted a young lady in a hospital bed down the hallway. A man in a lab coat walked behind her, looking down at a clipboard. The poor girl lay prone on her bed, every bit as still as Gaius. The mother watched her daughter be carted away and pressed her face against Mr. Bennett's chest. Young Daniel sat in a chair, staring into his hands.

He fidgeted with the drink holder in his hand, pressing his lips together. He set it down on the table beside the child and grabbed a drink.

"Hot chocolate," he said softly. The once-knight gently pressed the drink into Daniel's hands and watched as gooseflesh crawled on his arms. "And I have two large coffees. One regular, one decaf."

"Thank you," Mr. Bennett said.

Mrs. Bennett pulled away from her husband. "Yes, thank you so much. That's so sweet of you. Mr…"

"Gwaine," he smiled. "Just call me Gwaine. And it's no problem. I'll leave you guys be, but I'm just down the hallway if you need me."

They nodded at him, and it was as he was heading back to Gaius' room that Merlin and Arthur came round the corner. They both looked tired; Merlin looked downright exhausted.

"Guys!"

The warlock's eyes found him and a small smile pulled on his lips until he saw passed him. A frown suddenly marred his face and he jogged past Gwaine, giving him a quick clap on the shoulder in passing. An apology. Gwaine watched as Merlin began talking to the family, shaking hands with the father and comforting them.

"How is he?" Gwaine asked, turning back to the detective.

Arthur met his eyes and gave a small shake of his head. He sighed. "How's Gaius?"

"No change," he breathed. "C'mon. Gwen's eager to see you."

The once-knight led the way back to the room. Gwen was sitting in a chair reading a book. Rylee was laid out on the futon by the window, sleeping. A blanket had been thrown over her. Percival was dozing in a chair on the opposite wall. Night had fallen. The detective folded his hands over his wife's shoulders, leaning down and planting a kiss on her temple.

"Hey," Guinevere breathed.

He smiled against her hair. "Hey. How're you?"

"I'm okay. You?"

"Okay."

"Gwaine, how's the family?"

The young man stood on her other side, looking down at his old friend. Young friend. It was all so confusing now. They were all back. And now the great physician of Camelot was back. Merlin's guardian and uncle. He could definitely see the resemblance between the two of them now. It was nearly uncanny.

And he was in a coma.

Besides that, not only was he in a coma, but also two other young people whose families were scared to death.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "They're as strong as they can be."

Merlin suddenly ran into the room, panting.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelped. "What's wrong?"

He ignored him and set his hand against Gaius' face. Merlin closed his eyes and Gwaine watched as the warlock held his breath. His eyes pulsed with gold and a second later, he gasped and stumbled backward. A hand flew to his mouth and his eyes were glossed over.

"Merlin?" Guinevere slowly stepped forward, setting a hand on his arm. "Merlin, what's wrong?"

His tumultuous eyes met hers, and in a broken voice, he said, "G-Gaius… he's… He's _dying_."


End file.
